What is a Centralized Key Management System?
As organizations deploy ever-increasing numbers of encryption solutions, they find themselves managing inconsistent policies, different levels of protection, and experience escalating costs. The best way through this maze is often to transition into a centralized key management model. In this key management case, and in contrast to the use of HSMs, the key management system performs only key management tasks, acting on behalf of other systems that perform cryptographic operations using those keys.
The benefits of a centralized key management system include:
- Unified key management and encryption policies
- System-wide key revocation
- A single point to protect
- Cost reduction through automation
- Consolidated audit information
- A single point for recovery
- Convenient separation of duty
- Key mobility